Hungarian Folk Music Concerts By Ghymes Ensemble (Pozsony, Szlovakia):

Sept. 13, 1996, 19:00 (7PM)
St. Istvan Templom
2015 W. Augusta, Chicago

Sept. 15, 1996, 19:00 (7PM)
The Getty College of Arts and Sciences Department of Music
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH 45810

Ghymes is a Hugarian folk ensemble which has been playing together for ten
years.  Based in Bratislava (Pozsony - the former capital of Hungary),
Slovakia, they are members of the large ethnic Hungarian minority which
resides in the regions of Slovakia.  The members of Ghymes believe
strongly in the universality and binding strength of music to transcend
cultural and linguistic boundaries and bring us ever closer to global
harmony.

Since 1984 the band has performed as part of a state funded Hungarian
ensemble called Ifju Szivek (Young Hearts), which is comprised of a
foldance troupe, a symphony orchestra, a choir, an ancient music ensemble,
and Ghymes.  Ghymes became full-time professionals in 1990.

That same year the band widened its horizons by joining with a
French-based ensemble called Vents d'est (Eastern Wind).  Headed by Mique
Montanaro and comprised of singers and musicians playing French, Slavic
and Hungarian folk music they combine musical genres to create a new and
universal sound. This ongoing collaboration has yielded a French release
titled Migrations.

Ghymes began its life as folk musicians in the tradition of the Hungarian
tanchaz (community dance) revival of the 1960-70's.  For years they
conducted research tours, collecting songs for their repertoire and
playing as dance accompanists.  Convinced, however, that their tanchaz
based audience would be forever limited, they decided to break tradition
and play exclusively as concert musicians.  Their mission is to evolve and
build a new popular music based on Hungarian folk roots.  They aim their
music at the young people of the rock and roll generation, striving to
turn those minds to an appreciation of their own ethnic roots.
Simultaneaously they proliferate their sound, powerful and beautiful, to
audiences around the world.  They have toured Japan, Finland, France,
Switzerland, Austria, Iraq, Jordan, Spain, Greece, and for the first time
in 1994, the USA.  Always meeting an enthusiastic response, their live
music energizes and engages.  In concert they introduce the title song of
their album Message as being about freedom, music's freedom.  The music of
Ghymes is free, free of national boundaries and prejudices, free to move
us out of our seats and dance.

Members:=09Laszlo Behr=09hammer dulcimer, percussion
=09=09Andor Bujak=09viola, saxophone, bombard
=09=09Krisztian Bujak=09bagpipe, tarogato, percussion
=09=09Gyula Szarka=09bass, vocals, guitar, lyre, kalabash
=09=09=09=09zithern
=09=09Tamas Szarka=09violin, koboz, percussion

Releases:=09Ifjusag mint solyommadar (Youth as Falcon) 1988 LP
=09=09Ghymes 1991 CD
=09=09Uzenet (Message) 1993 CD
=09=09Bennunk van a kutyaver 1995 MC
=09=09Firejump 1996 MC

Contact:=09Monika Csikmak, Svatoplukova 1.  903 01 Senec, Slovakia
=09=09tel. 42 7 53 31 089, tel./fax. 42 7 923 872



Szilvia Bal=E1zs
--
personal email     : , 

Hungarian Folk Music Concerts By Ghymes Ensemble (Pozsony, Szlovakia):

Sept. 13, 1996, 19:00 (7PM)
St. Istvan Templom
2015 W. Augusta, Chicago

Sept. 15, 1996, 19:00 (7PM)
The Getty College of Arts and Sciences Department of Music
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH 45810

Ghymes is a Hugarian folk ensemble which has been playing together for ten
years.  Based in Bratislava (Pozsony - the former capital of Hungary),
Slovakia, they are members of the large ethnic Hungarian minority which
resides in the regions of Slovakia.  The members of Ghymes believe
strongly in the universality and binding strength of music to transcend
cultural and linguistic boundaries and bring us ever closer to global
harmony.

Since 1984 the band has performed as part of a state funded Hungarian
ensemble called Ifju Szivek (Young Hearts), which is comprised of a
foldance troupe, a symphony orchestra, a choir, an ancient music ensemble,
and Ghymes.  Ghymes became full-time professionals in 1990.

That same year the band widened its horizons by joining with a
French-based ensemble called Vents d'est (Eastern Wind).  Headed by Mique
Montanaro and comprised of singers and musicians playing French, Slavic
and Hungarian folk music they combine musical genres to create a new and
universal sound. This ongoing collaboration has yielded a French release
titled Migrations.

Ghymes began its life as folk musicians in the tradition of the Hungarian
tanchaz (community dance) revival of the 1960-70's.  For years they
conducted research tours, collecting songs for their repertoire and
playing as dance accompanists.  Convinced, however, that their tanchaz
based audience would be forever limited, they decided to break tradition
and play exclusively as concert musicians.  Their mission is to evolve and
build a new popular music based on Hungarian folk roots.  They aim their
music at the young people of the rock and roll generation, striving to
turn those minds to an appreciation of their own ethnic roots.
Simultaneaously they proliferate their sound, powerful and beautiful, to
audiences around the world.  They have toured Japan, Finland, France,
Switzerland, Austria, Iraq, Jordan, Spain, Greece, and for the first time
in 1994, the USA.  Always meeting an enthusiastic response, their live
music energizes and engages.  In concert they introduce the title song of
their album Message as being about freedom, music's freedom.  The music of
Ghymes is free, free of national boundaries and prejudices, free to move
us out of our seats and dance.

Members:=09Laszlo Behr=09hammer dulcimer, percussion
=09=09Andor Bujak=09viola, saxophone, bombard
=09=09Krisztian Bujak=09bagpipe, tarogato, percussion
=09=09Gyula Szarka=09bass, vocals, guitar, lyre, kalabash
=09=09=09=09zithern
=09=09Tamas Szarka=09violin, koboz, percussion

Releases:=09Ifjusag mint solyommadar (Youth as Falcon) 1988 LP
=09=09Ghymes 1991 CD
=09=09Uzenet (Message) 1993 CD
=09=09Bennunk van a kutyaver 1995 MC
=09=09Firejump 1996 MC

Contact:=09Monika Csikmak, Svatoplukova 1.  903 01 Senec, Slovakia
=09=09tel. 42 7 53 31 089, tel./fax. 42 7 923 872



Szilvia Bal=E1zs
--
personal email     : , 

Thank you Peter I. Hidas for all of your informative posts about 1956.

 .....>It is likely that the fortieth anniversary
>of the popular uprising will be celebrated world-wide and especially in
>Hungary, where 1956 will create a greater stir than the 1,100th year of
>statehood did this year......

>From 1990 to 1993 I moved back to Budapest (I am a '56-er, left when I was
9) where I was a photographer for the Associated Press. I covered the
October 23rd celebrations of 1990, 1991 & 1992 there. I found it shocking
that most of the celebrations  turned into nationalistic events, shouting
matches, and later in 1993, skinhead events! These were mostly in front of
the Parliament at night, Magyar Radio, and the Corvin Cinema. They were
angry and pushy mobs at all of these places, the young and old, and looking
at some of the faces, I was glad to be an American Citizen. I must say that
the celebrations at the Universities, the cemeteries and at Bem Square were
peaceful. As a 1956 "Hungarian Refugee" I expected a little more civility
and some rememberance for all those that died during the revolution. This
was only evident in Kerepesi Cemetery at the graves of the martyrs.

If this 40th anniversary of the  1956 Revolution is celebrated world wide,
I'd like to know about it.

On another 1956 theme........By coincidence yesterday, I bought a book (for
$1.00!) called "No More Comrades" by Andor Heller, published by Henry
Regnery Co., Chicago, 1956.
Heller was a photographer at MTI (Hungarian News Agency) who photographed
the day by day events of 1956, and on October 31, 1956 took his 300
negatives with him to Vienna. He later testified (masked) before the US
Senate about the events. His book tells the story day by day in photos and
text (though somewhat simplistically). Does anyone know of his whereabouts,
next of kin or have heard of this man? I am interested in his photographs. I
have not searched the Web yet. Please let me know by private e-mail if not
on the list.

Thanks y'all

Anna Mogyorosy

The old Hungarian coat of arms is made up of the basic coat of arms on a
many
segemnted base. The base is basicly the coat of arms of each of the
counties

Langos reminds me of elephant ears you find at county fairs.  I always ate
them with powder sugar as a child however, had them with grated cheese in
Miskolc-Tapolci.

Lango is also served with Garlic, or with light sour cream (and/or grated
cheese)
in many other parts of the country including Tapolca.

HHmmmm Hmmm good!!!
Peter Soltesz
Stop making me hungry before lunch!

On Fri, 13 Sep 1996, Balazsi wrote:

> Langos reminds me of elephant ears you find at county fairs.  I always ate
> them with powder sugar as a child however, had them with grated cheese in
> Miskolc-Tapolci.
>

At 07:29 AM 9/13/96 -0700, Anna Mogyorosy wrote:

>>From 1990 to 1993 I moved back to Budapest (I am a '56-er, left when I was
>9) where I was a photographer for the Associated Press. I covered the
>October 23rd celebrations of 1990, 1991 & 1992 there. I found it shocking
>that most of the celebrations  turned into nationalistic events, shouting
>matches, and later in 1993, skinhead events! These were mostly in front of
>the Parliament at night, Magyar Radio, and the Corvin Cinema. They were
>angry and pushy mobs at all of these places, the young and old, and looking
>at some of the faces, I was glad to be an American Citizen. I must say that
>the celebrations at the Universities, the cemeteries and at Bem Square were
>peaceful. As a 1956 "Hungarian Refugee" I expected a little more civility
>and some rememberance for all those that died during the revolution. This
>was only evident in Kerepesi Cemetery at the graves of the martyrs.

        As a 56-er myself, except 20 years old at the time, I am deeply
troubled by what happened to 1956's memory. It has become a political
football, a piece of meat on which different animals have a fight over. I am
sorry that fewer and fewer people are alive who witnessed those days because
they were days to remember with pride. The Hungarian nation never behaved
better.It is an awful shame how some people dirty what was so clean and pure.

        Eva Balogh

>
>If this 40th anniversary of the  1956 Revolution is celebrated world wide,
>I'd like to know about it.
>
>On another 1956 theme........By coincidence yesterday, I bought a book (for
>$1.00!) called "No More Comrades" by Andor Heller, published by Henry
>Regnery Co., Chicago, 1956.
>Heller was a photographer at MTI (Hungarian News Agency) who photographed
>the day by day events of 1956, and on October 31, 1956 took his 300
>negatives with him to Vienna. He later testified (masked) before the US
>Senate about the events. His book tells the story day by day in photos and
>text (though somewhat simplistically). Does anyone know of his whereabouts,
>next of kin or have heard of this man? I am interested in his photographs. I
>have not searched the Web yet. Please let me know by private e-mail if not
>on the list.
>
>Thanks y'all
>
>Anna Mogyorosy
>
>

In article >,  writes:

>Based on recent development it is to be concluded the following:
>
>1.  +75% of the elected representatives of the Hungarian Nations
>could not care less about the tolerated Hungarian minority living
>outside its elected borders. SEE THE RESULT OF THE PARLAMENTARY VOTING
>REGARDING THE RECENT TREATY WITH ROMANIA
>
>2.     The FREE Hungary had ample time, six years and two governments, to

>object for any alleged injustice suffered. ID DID NOT, more than that it
>had defused association with irredentist elements and for the first time
>in history had renounced not only to any territorial claim but it has
>recognized that no part of the Hungarian nation is living outside its
>borders. Outside its borders are only INDIVIDUALS with no right to
>collective considerations.
>
>A. Albu
>cu asta basta
>
>

So stupid you had to post this twice? I see you've been taking heat for
your little bastardized Romanian phrase from people who actually speak the
language. What's more pathetic than a goose-stepping little nationalist
who can't even spit out his poison in his own language? Ay, ay, ay, ay.
Sam Stowe

Born to laugh at hurricanes.

Hi, guys! A full week without electrical power to my house, thanks to
Hurricane Fran. Anyone have a chainsaw I can borrow?

In article >, Ferenc Novak
> writes:

>Sorry, you may think I am dense, but I still can't understand how
>uncuth behavior can substitute for clear reasoning.  Your constant
>rude personal attacks will only result in further defininig you as
>a bore and an intellectual pauper.  Since you seem to take such
>satisfaction in displaying the signs of your poor upbringing, you
>may continue your simple-minded diversions; I will not stoop to answer
>your insults.

Surrendering, eh, Frank? My upbringing, at the very least, did not lead me
to serve as an apologist for human scum. So where did you go astray?
Sam Stowe

Born to laugh at hurricanes.

At 11:01 PM 9/12/96 -0400, Marina wrote:
>In a message dated 96-09-12 19:04:51 EDT,  (Peter
>I. Hidas) writes:
><snip>
>>The authors  also claim that, .......
>>intellectuals, remained reform communists. Even Cardinal Mindszenty, the
>>most vehement opponent of the communists, including Imre Nagy, spoke in his
>>3 October 1956 address to the nation about "classless society" and the
>>"principle of private property limited by social concern." (p.129) .......
>
>My recollection of the events and the mood of the times is different. I
>remember how upset some people were, because the Cardinal asked for the
>return of all church property in his speach. The feeling was, that there were
>other issues more important to discuss. The country wanted to be read of the
>Soviet yoke along with communism -- without returning to the old ways (before
>WW2). Times have changed, the hope was to create a democratic
>government/society. But than again, I can only speak of my experience. One
>thing is certain, everyone wanted the Soviets and the communist regime to
>disappear. That probably is the only thing that we Hungarians ever agreed on.

        About two years ago we had a discussion on this very topic here in
HUNGARY. I recalled my memories of Mindszenty's speech and the general
negative reaction to all of those students who were listening to the radio
in my room. I recalled it exactly that Mindszenty demanded the property of
the church back, including large landholdings. Then, another participant
published the actual speech of Mindszenty: there was not one word about
demanding back the church's extensive real estates. Then I consulted with
several people who were there and everybody remembered the way I did.

        How was this possible? I still don't understand it. There can be
only two possibilities: (1) the text published by Mindszenty later in his
book wasn't accurate; or, (2) we were all so indoctrinated against the
church that we read something into the speech which in fact wasn't there.

        Eva Balogh

At 07:32 PM 9/12/96 -0400, Joe Szalai wrote:
>At 09:23 AM 9/11/96 -0400, Eva Balogh wrote:
>
><snip>
>>However, I still believe that Joe fundamentally
>>misunderstood my reference to shock therapy.
>
>I didn't misunderstand your reference.  I just don't agree with it.  I was
>also commenting on your apparent refusal to believe that the brunt of that
>kind of economic shock therapy will be borne by the poor.

        All right. For the sake of argument, let's agree that you are right.
But you have to admit that the slow economic changeover wasn't exactly kind
to the poor. The dislocations, the inflation, the unemployment hit hard
large segments of the society. Moreover, I don't see quick recovery. They
are doing it slowly, and they are going to get out of the slump slowly as
well. So, if in both cases the poor suffers the most, wouldn't it be better
if at least, due to the quicker recovery, the poor would get out of its
plight faster? As opposed to this dragged-out, hopeless economic situation
which exists right now.

        Eva Balogh

A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the future.Andy K.

Stowewrite wrote:
>
> In article >,  writes:
>
> >Based on recent development it is to be concluded the following:
> >
> >1.  +75% of the elected representatives of the Hungarian Nations
> >could not care less about the tolerated Hungarian minority living
> >outside its elected borders. SEE THE RESULT OF THE PARLAMENTARY VOTING.....

> ......... What's more pathetic than a goose-stepping littlenationalist
> who can't even spit out his poison in his own language? Ay, ay, ay, ay.
> Sam Stowe


Sam, what do you consider is my nationality so I could adjust the step.
Don't beat the bush, speak out on issues or move.
Hungary is in agony it sure does not need you.
Go and  laugh at hurricanes you are a foreigner to that land.
You have no roots and no backbone.

Albert Albu

I laugh at idiots..

At 05:26 PM 9/13/96 -0400, Andy Kozma wrote:

>A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the future.Andy K
.

Happy Rosh Hashanah, Andy, and all!

Joe Szalai

The Oktatasugyi Intezet (Pedagogical Institute) prepared a poll
based on the answers of 1,500 Hungarian college students. Forty percent of
them study in Budapest; sixty percent in smaller towns; thirty-five percent
live at home, 42 percent in dormitories; 16 percent in rented rooms, the
rest live at relatives, friends, or in their own houses/apartments.

        Questions concerning the students' background are very interesting.
Fifty-one percent of students' fathers are college-graduates themselves. The
families of ninety-seven percent of the students own color television set;
forty-three percent own a car of western manufacturing and thirty nine
percent of them own a weekend house or a lot. Thirty-two percent of the
families own a computer.

        The average monthly pocket money is 15,000Ft. In Budapest 22 percent
of the students have more than 20,000Ft/month; outside of Budapest 14
percent. Eighty-two percent of the students receive an average of 5,000Ft
scholarship (depending on grade points average) money and two-thirds of them
also receive an average of 2,360Ft/month social aid (depending on need).
Forty-three percent of them receive approximately 6,000Ft from occasional
work. Not surprisingly 53 percent of those questioned are against paying
tuition.

        And finally, 20 percent don't work at all; 30 percent only during
the summer; 33 percent often but not as an official employee; only 7 percent
are officially in half-time or part-time jobs. As for income: 17% over
20,000Ft; 20 percent 15-20,000Ft; 34% 10-15,000Ft; 23% up to 10,000Ft; rest
didn't answer or has no income.

        Eva Balogh

Another interesting piece of information. In Hungary of 10 million
inhabitants, there are approximately 350,000 mobil telephones in use. The
use of these telephones is expensive. During weekdays, between 7 am and 6 pm
one minute costs 39.80Ft (that is eight times as much as an ordinary
telephone call of one-minute duration). In addition, there is monthly fee of
anything between 2,100 and 6,900Ft, depending on the provider and the extent
of the service.

        Eva Balogh

At 05:26 PM 9/13/96 -0400, Andy Kozma wrote:
>A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the future.Andy K
.

        Happy New Year to you, too, Andy. It was this afternoon that
suddenly it occurred me that of sundown it is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.

        Eva Balogh

Eva, you're right, of course, for the average Hungarian.  However, for those
in the upper income levels, and certainly for Westerners (who might make up
the majority of those 350,000 inhabitants), the cost is actually less than in
the U.S.

Figure that 130 Forints equals $1.00 (I think it's something like that or maybe
a little higher).  The monthly fee would be between $16.00 and $53.00
(that's rounded to the nearest dollar for ease) - less than the U.S., depending
on what system you have.  The one-minute call is a little less than 31 cents.
Most calls in the U.S. (local calls) run about 50 cents a minute.  From a
Westerner's point of view, that would be a good deal, as I feel sure it would
be to the higher income level Hungarians.

Frank A. Aycock, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. of Communication
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
E-Mail: 

P.S. By the way, Eva, I'm back in the States after two years in Bulgaria!

At 07:11 PM 9/13/96 -0400, you wrote:
>At 05:26 PM 9/13/96 -0400, Andy Kozma wrote:
>
>>A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the
future.Andy K.
>
>Happy Rosh Hashanah, Andy, and all!
>
>Joe Szalai
2nd that wish!!! - although a tad late - the sentiment is not less.
Aniko

>
>

Subject:
              OMRI CZ/SK Selection No. 178
        Date:
              13 Sep 1996 09:50:46 -0500
       From:
              Peter Durcansky >
    Reply-To:

No. 178, Part II, 13 September 1996

           A selection from the OMRI Daily Digest
          ----------------------------------------

CZECH POLITICIANS ON CZECH-GERMAN DECLARATION. Czech Foreign Minister
Josef Zieleniec told reporters on 12 September that the Czech-German
declaration the two countries' parliaments are planning to adopt will
not change any of the laws under which some three million Sudeten
Germans were expelled from Czechoslovakia after World War II, Czech
media reported. For more than a year, the two countries have been
engaged in difficult negotiations on the declaration, which they hope
will settle controversial historical issues and improve bilateral
relations. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl told the German parliament on
11 September that he wanted the declaration to be adopted by the end of
this year. Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, however, announced that no
talks between him and Kohl on the declaration are scheduled in the
foreseeable future. Bavarian Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber, who has been
so far critical of the declaration, on 12 September expressed
satisfaction with the declaration, saying it will describe the expulsion
of Germans as "injustice." -- Jiri Pehe

SLOVAK FOREIGN MINISTER IN PRAGUE. Pavol Hamzik told Czech officials on
12 September that he sees no reason why Slovakia should be excluded from
[the European] integration processes, Czech media reported. "We should
not be viewed only through the prism of the Slovak opposition," argued
Hamzik. After meetings with his Czech counterpart, Josef Zieleniec, as
well as President Vaclav Havel and Parliament Chairman Milos Zeman,
Zieleniec told reporters that "it is our vital interest that Slovakia
become a member of the same organizations, that is NATO and the European
Union." Hamzik expressed objections when Zeman repeated his recent
criticism of some political developments in Slovakia. -- Jiri Pehe

SLOVAKIA SETS UP COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION. The Slovak
parliament on 12 September approved the creation of a 17-member
parliamentary committee that will deal with issues of European
integration, Slovak media reported. Parliament deputy chairman Marian
Huska proposed the creation of the committee, which will tackle a broad
range of questions related to European integration, including studying
documents drafted by the European Commission and evaluating the
feasibility of incorporating various laws into Slovakia's legislation.
Huska was elected chairman of the committee, in which all the coalition
and opposition parties are represented. -- Jiri Pehe

HUNGARIAN ECONOMIC NEWS ROUNDUP. According to the Central Statistical
Office, consumer prices in Hungary increased by 0.3% in July, the lowest
monthly figure in three years, Hungarian dailies reported on 13
September. Hungary's inflation rate since July 1995 is now 22% which,
while down from last year's 28%, is still more than twice the rates in
the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The good news about the
declining inflation seems to have been lost on the American credit
rating agency Moody's, whose recent study decided not to upgrade
Hungary's Ba1 international credit rating. Hungarian officials had been
hoping for a better rating, since this would both serve as a
recommendation to investors and allow the government to borrow abroad at
lower interest rates. Moody's cited Hungary's trade and budget deficits
as key concerns, while exports and foreign investment were seen as the
country's strong points. -- Ben Slay

> ========================================================================
=

The above is a selection from the OMRI Daily Digest, and the articles
within are copyright of OMRI. Articles are selected if they contain
information pertaining to the Czech or the Slovak republic.
The selection process is done by a program and is thus highly
error-prone. If you would like to receive this selection via e-mail,
send a request to .

OMRI Analytical Briefs are available on the World Wide Web:
http://www.omri.cz/Publications/Analytical/Index.html

At 04:54 PM 9/13/96 -0400, Eva Balogh wrote:

>All right. For the sake of argument, let's agree that you are right.
>But you have to admit that the slow economic changeover wasn't exactly kind
>to the poor. The dislocations, the inflation, the unemployment hit hard
>large segments of the society. Moreover, I don't see quick recovery. They
>are doing it slowly, and they are going to get out of the slump slowly as
>well. So, if in both cases the poor suffers the most, wouldn't it be better
>if at least, due to the quicker recovery, the poor would get out of its
>plight faster? As opposed to this dragged-out, hopeless economic situation
>which exists right now.

This is a trick question, Eva.  You're asking me if I favour Hungary
changing over to capitalism quickly or slowly.  Well...., gees, what can I
say?  Maybe if nitrous oxide was freely available on all street corners a
quick changeover could be accommodated.

Along with the changeover to free market capitalism, watch the erosion of
women's rights.  Many social programmes benefited women and families.
They'll be the first to go.  Maternity benefits have already been reduced,
haven't they?  And how affordable will nurseries and day care be?  Young
couples will not be able to afford to have children, or, if they do, the
woman will likely pass on a career.  Hasn't there been a lot of
retrenchement on women's rights in Poland?

Joe Szalai

There is another important piece of information: in Hungary it is (or at
least until recently it used to be) much easier to get a cellular phone line
than a regular one. Therefore, many are using their cellular phones as the
only available one.

Gabor D. Farkas

At 07:09 PM 9/13/96 -0700, you wrote:
>There is another important piece of information: in Hungary it is (or at
>least until recently it used to be) much easier to get a cellular phone line
>than a regular one. Therefore, many are using their cellular phones as the
>only available one.
>
>Gabor D. Farkas
>
Just to add a tad of strenght to Gabor's words; I recently attempted to get
my grandmother hooked up with a telephone in Hungary.  The "earliest" is 9
months - with a 60,000.F downpayment today.  Since this summer, they were
giving cell phones away in Hungary, the connection cost was insignificant in
comparisson; and the results immediate.

An anecdote worth of trivia to add.  Is anyone else aware of the fact that
cell phones in Hungary are affectionately referred to as "Bunko Fons"? -
they are.

Regards,
Aniko.
>

Hi. everybody!

My name is kisu lee. I'm 26 years old man and Korean.
I want to know about your country and let you know my country.
I'm chemical engineer and have worked for HANWHA energy co. for two
years.

Please don't hesitate to write to me. It won't be harm to you.
Everyone will always be welcome.

We have a bank and a noodle snack factory in BUDAPEST.
Hungary is one of the important trading areas of our group.
So, There can be an apportunity to visit there.

 I will be waiting.

You can send letter to these e-mail addresses  " "
and ""

P.S. Every eastern eupeans are welcome to be in touch with me.

Again, with some delay, I am following up.

In article >,
 says...
>
>At 01:30 PM 9/6/96 +1000, George Antony wrote in answering me:
>
>>I believe the popularity of this
>>> government dropped exactly as much as the popularity of the Antall
>>> government during exactly the same period.
>>
>>Has it ?  The Socialists are level pegging with the Smallholders
(typical
>>populists who can wash their hands of the Antall government's record as
>>they were sidelined by him) as the most popular party and the Free
>>Democrats tend to be at the same level as the Young Democrats.  All
this
>>after a very painful economic austerity that hurt just about every
stratum
>>of society.  In comparison, where is the MDF ?
>
>        You either misunderstood what I said or I didn't say it very
>clearly. The popularity of the two governments dropped exactly the same
>percentage during the first two years after their taking office. In
fact,
>Sandor Revesz (the author of the book on Antall) wrote an article about
this
>very topic a few months ago. (Unfortunately, I don't remember which
>newspaper it was; I read it in the Tallozo.) Revesz in his book had
attached
>great significance to the fact that the Antall government lost such
>significant percentage of its popularity. Four years later he had to
admit
>that there was nothing unique about that drop because exactly the same
thing
>happened to the Horn government.

No, you were perfectly clear.  It would seem that I was not though.

I am trying to emphasize the difference between the two drops.  Even if
they are similar in their pattern, their meaning is not.  In all
countries,
once the honeymoon period of the new government is over after the
elections, popularity drops.  This is not all, though. The Antall
government tried to please just about everybody and its popularity has
dropped as it did.  The Horn government has dared to antagonize most of
the population in pushing through very tough economic reforms in the
name of long-term interests of the country, and still its popularity has
dropped only as much as that of its predecessor's.  To me this indicates
that the remaining support for the Horn government is quite solid, and if
he can point to significant gains for the pain before the next elections
he has a good chance of clawing back many of its lost electors.  In
comparison, the Antall government has never changed course, and never
made the impression of making the hard decisions that might put its
electoral popularity at risk.

>ESB:
>>>         And finally, inflation is still high (nowhere close to 20%),
>>> economic growth slowed, GDP is lower than last year, and so on and so
forth.

> as far as I know with a restrictive economic policy at least the
>inflation was supposed to drop rather significantly. It didn't. Yes, I
am
>all for economic reform but this government's economic reform is very
>half-hearted and as a result it doesn't really do what it is supposed to
do.

The economic reforms were probably as tough as feasible politically.
Surely, there were tougher reforms in coutries such as Bolivia, but
I doubt that the Hungarian electorate would accept the much more severe
drops in living standard that would accompany the more radical reforms.

>Right now we are on the slippery slope again: backing away from the
reforms.

This is not my impression.  Having been is a government policy position,
I see a give-and-take aimed at pacifying some interest groups to reduce
their opposition to the policy course.  In a democratic system, the
"ideal" set of policy reforms, as drawn up by technocrats not up for
re-election, can rarely be implemented in its entirety.

>As for your last sentence, I think you are unfair and I resent it. I am
>simply trying to be analytical and fair. I don't particularly care about
>these guys' background as long as they perform. I am complaining about
their
>*performance* not their background. Their background is important only
>insofar as it didn't prepare them for the tasks ahead.

I am sorry.  It appears that my impression was incorrect.


>>> Perhaps the SZDSZ would have done it then, I don't know.
>>
>>Fast economic reform was the centrepiece of their political platform
and
>>they continued that political line pretty consistently ever since.
>
>        Unfortunately, they are not strong enough in the government to
make
>a real impact. Horn lately have been making threatening little speeches
>about not "caving in" to the SZDSZ in the future as he did in the past.

There have been hints in Hungary about the SzDSz tail wagging the MSzP
dog in economic policy.  The above is as good as an admission of that,
incorporated in speeches that may only have a PR objective.


>        This is not about settling accounts. This is about performance
and
>the reasons for the rather low level of performance. Low level of
>performance in both the Antall and the Horn gobernments.

I disagree with this comparison.  My view is that, unlike the Antall
government, the Horn government at least can claim to have placed its
short-term electoral interests at considerable political risk in order
to improve the country's long-term position.

George Antony

In article >,
 says...>

>        Ivan Peto called attention to the fact that the MSZP already acts
as
>if it was preparing for the next elections and therefore the government
>hates the idea of introducing unpopular but necessary measures.

This is quite plausible and well in line with international experience.

At the same
>time privatization has slowed. There are still 600 large factories in state
>hands.

You pointed out a few days ago that these are mainly the dregs, so it
is not surprising then that nobody wants them.  If so, the only way to
get rid of them is to close them down and sack the workforce.  Not very
good for electoral popularity.

>Bank reform has not been even attempted and without that economic
>expansion is almost impossible.

Isn't bank privatization on the agenda, with Budapest Bank about to be
sold ?

>        As far as I can see Gyula Horn, as prime minister, is largely
>responsible for this state of affairs.

I cannot help the perception that you are unwilling to have a balanced
view of his reign.  Post after post I can only read about his negative
side, nothing of what he may have done right.  I understand that you
say that you are not biased against him, but this is not the appearance
that you create.

George Antony

In a message dated 96-09-13 19:14:20 EDT,  (Joe
Szalai) writes:

<< At 05:26 PM 9/13/96 -0400, Andy Kozma wrote:

 >A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the
future.Andy K.

 Happy Rosh Hashanah, Andy, and all!

 Joe Szalai >>

Wishing you peace in the New Year! Here are two little Hebrew verses for you
all:

            "Take care of the soul:
                  she is turquoise,
                         agate, and jasper.
             Her light is like the light of the sun,
                              like the light
                       of seven mornings at once. "

                                  ******
            "On this day, may the weight
                of all my sins dwindle
                       to nothing, like
                           the crescent moon.
              Today, may the sum of my merits
                         alone grow
                                 and bud
                                     and blossom."

                                    ******
Marina Pflieger

G.D.Farkas wrote:

>There is another important piece of information: in Hungary it is (or at
>least until recently it used to be) much easier to get a cellular phone line
>than a regular one. Therefore, many are using their cellular phones as the
>only available one.

It is a status-simbolum (or whatever it is called in English) also, when a
young (or not so young) 'businessman' feels to show his wealth, he buy a new
car or/and cellular phone. You can see peoples using cellular phones who
otherwise look hm not like 'bizniszman'( jogging clothes, etc). Not
surprisingly one nickname of the cellular-phone is 'tahofon' in Hungary.

J.Zs

Happy New Year to you, Andy.

J.Zs

J.Szalai wrote:

>>A Happy New Year so we might understand each other better in the >>future.And
y
 K.
>
>Happy Rosh Hashanah, Andy, and all!
>
>Joe Szalai

Heeee, elftars! What is this 'elhajlas' (deviation) from the
PC hardline ?! No complains about the religion-related good
wishes, no jokes about Moses (you know like last Christmas).
Ejnye, bejnye!

J.Zs

PS: I don't mind any kind of good-wishes on this list, I thought
you do.